Open Water Swimming Events in Cornwall and the South West 2026
Cornwall and the South West host some of the best open water swimming events in the UK - and the 2026 season is a good one. From iconic sea swims around Cornish landmarks to well-organised lake events, there is something for every level of open water swimmer, whether you are nervously eyeing up your first sea swim or looking for an excuse to spend an entire day in the Atlantic.
At Ocean Set we coach open water swimmers in North Cornwall and through our 1-2-1 endless pool coaching at Melancoose. We put this guide together to help swimmers in our community plan their 2026 race calendar and arrive at the start line in great shape, rather than slightly panicked and still fiddling with their wetsuit zip.
Always check each organiser's website directly before entering, as dates and entry availability can change.
Dartmouth Open Water Swim - 6 June 2026. Blackpool Sands, Devon | 750m to 3km | All levels
Plymouth Swim - 14 June 2026. Mount Edgcumbe, Plymouth | 750m to 3km | All levels
Sea Swim Cornwall Lizard - 27 June 2026. Lizard Peninsula, Cornwall 5km, 7.5km or 10km | Experienced
English Riviera Swim - 5 July 2026. Torquay | 750m to 3km | All levels
Padstow to Rock Swim - 12 July 2026. Camel Estuary, North Cornwall | 1.6km | Intermediate and above
Bantham Swoosh - 18 July. Aveton Gifford to Bantham, South Devon | 6km | Intermediate and above
Bantham Boomerang - 19 July. Bantham Beach, South Devon | 6km | Intermediate and above
Sideshore Swim - 19 July 2026. Exmouth | 750m to 3km | All levels
St Michael's Mount Swim - 8 Aug 2026. Marazion, West Cornwall | 2.5km | Intermediate and above
St Michael's Mount: Slow and Steady - 14 Aug 2026. Marazion, West Cornwall | 2.3km | Intermediate
Mad Hatter Swim Festival - 29 August. Carbis Bay, St Ives, Cornwall | 1km, 2km or 3km | All levels
Wimbleball Lake Swims - 29 Aug 2026. Wimbleball Lake, Exmoor | 750m to 5km | All levels
Dawlish Swim - 20 Sept 2026. Dawlish Warren, Devon | 750m to 3km | All levels
Brownsea Swim - 27 Sept 2026. Poole Harbour, Dorset | 6.5km | Advanced, 18+
Event Highlights
Dartmouth Open Water Swim, 6 June 2026
An early-season sea swim in one of the most beautiful settings in Devon, with distances from 750m to 3km making it accessible for swimmers of all levels. Blackpool Sands is a sheltered south-facing beach with clear water and a relaxed atmosphere, a very pleasant place to ease yourself back into event swimming after winter. If you are building towards a bigger Cornish sea swim later in the season, this is an excellent first marker to put in the diary.
Plymouth Swim, 14 June 2026
Set in the dramatic surroundings of Mount Edgcumbe on the edge of Plymouth Sound, the Plymouth Swim offers 750m to 3km distances with historic waterfront views that make it easy to forget you are supposed to be racing. A well-organised event with distances to suit most levels and a genuinely spectacular backdrop. Good mid-June timing for anyone building fitness towards the July sea swims.
Sea Swim Cornwall Lizard Peninsula 5, 7.5 & 10K Day, 27 June 2026
A challenge rather than a race - which is either reassuring or slightly terrifying depending on where you are in your training. Sea Swim Cornwall take you through four 2.5km swims across the Lizard Peninsula in a single day, with locations chosen based on conditions. You can enter for the full 10km, drop back to 7.5km or keep it to 5km if you want a slightly less ambitious day in the water. It is one of the most rewarding one-day open water challenges in Cornwall, and a world away from swimming lengths. Entries and information at seaswimcornwall.co.uk.
English Riviera Swim, 5 July 2026
Torquay in July: warm(ish) water, a beautiful bay and distances from 750m to 3km. The English Riviera Swim is a well-organised and popular event on the South Devon coast with a friendly atmosphere and good safety cover. A solid choice for swimmers at any level and a particularly good option if you are looking for a confidence-building sea swim before tackling the more demanding events later in the summer.
Padstow to Rock Swim, 12 July 2026
One of the most iconic open water swimming events in Cornwall, the Padstow to Rock has been raising money for Marie Curie since the 1970s - which means it has been going longer than most of us have been swimming. The course covers approximately one mile (1.6km) across the Camel Estuary from the Sea Cadet slipway in Padstow to the RNLI slipway at Rock. It runs in two waves: elite swimmers (under 30 minutes) and non-elite (under 60 minutes). This is a genuine tidal sea swim and quite different from a pool or lake event. The Camel Estuary current will have opinions about your race plan, so training in tidal conditions beforehand is not optional.
Bantham Swoosh / Boomerang - 18–19 July 2026, South Devon
Two consecutive days of river swimming on one of the most beautiful stretches of water in the South West - and a very good reason to make a weekend of it. The Bantham Swoosh on 18 July is a tide-assisted point-to-point swim from Aveton Gifford down to Bantham Beach, covering around 6km. Go with the flow - literally. The Boomerang on 19 July starts and finishes at Bantham Beach, swimming upriver and turning with the tide. Both events are organised by Level Water, a charity providing swimming lessons for children with disabilities, and there is a Mini-Swoosh (1km) for children on the Saturday too. A brilliant event with a great community feel. Find out more at levelwater.org.
Sideshore Swim, 19 July 2026
A well-regarded open water swim on the Exmouth seafront with distances from 750m to 3km, organised by the team behind some of the South West's most reliably run events. Exmouth offers a long sandy beach and a sheltered estuary setting that tends to produce cleaner conditions than exposed headland swims. A good option if the Bantham events are not for you that weekend, or if you are looking to tick off another South West sea swim before the August highlights.
St Michael's Mount Swim, 8 and 12 August 2026
Swimming around St Michael's Mount is one of those experiences that makes you remember exactly why you got into open water swimming in the first place. The Chestnut Appeal event on 8 August covers approximately 2.5km, starting and finishing at Marazion beach and circumnavigating the Mount through clear tidal water. Sea Swim Cornwall also runs a Slow and Steady version on 12 August for swimmers who prefer to actually look up and take in the view. Both events require solid open water swimming confidence - this is not the place to discover that tidal water handles differently from the pool.
Mad Hatter Swim Festival - 29 August 2026, Carbis Bay, St Ives
A late-summer treat in the clear waters of Carbis Bay near St Ives. The festival offers 1km, 2km and 3km distances, made up of 1km laps so you can make your mind up on the day. Feeling strong? Enter all three for a total of 6km - there is even a £15 discount if you do, which is a nice incentive to commit to something you might regret by lap two. There is also a juniors event covering approximately 500m for swimmers aged 8 to 14. Every competitor gets a swim hat and commemorative medal. Read more at madhattersportsevents.co.uk.
Wimbleball Lake Swims, 29 August 2026
A late-season lake swim on the edge of Exmoor, with distances from 750m to 5km making it one of the most flexible events on the South West calendar. Lake conditions offer calmer and more predictable water than the sea, which makes Wimbleball a good option for swimmers who want to push their distance in a controlled environment before the season winds down. A peaceful setting and a well-organised event, a fine way to spend a bank holiday weekend if you can think of nothing better than getting in a reservoir in Somerset, which we absolutely can.
Dawlish Swim, 20 September 2026
One of the last sea swim events of the South West season, the Dawlish Swim takes place at Dawlish Warren on the South Devon coast with distances from 750m to 3km. By September the summer crowds have thinned out and the sea has reached its warmest point of the year - typically 16 to 18°C on this stretch of coast - which makes late-season sea swimming rather more pleasant than you might expect. A relaxed and scenic way to close out your 2026 event calendar.
Brownsea Swim, 27 September 2026
For swimmers who want to close out the season with something ambitious, the Brownsea Swim in Poole Harbour covers 6.5km around Brownsea Island. This is an advanced open water swimming event for experienced swimmers aged 18 and over, and one of the longest sea swim events on the South Coast calendar. A fine way to earn a very hot, long shower.
Open Water Swimming Skills to Practise Before Any Event
Sighting: Lifting your head every 6 to 10 strokes to check your direction. Poor navigation costs significant time and energy in open water and adds unwanted distance to a swim you already planned very carefully.
Cold water entry: Wade in gradually and get your breathing under control before you start swimming. The urge to gasp and thrash is real; the trick is to slow down and breathe through it.
Drafting: Swimming directly behind another swimmer to use their slipstream. Legal in most open water events, effective for conserving energy, and one of those skills that makes you feel quietly smug when it works.
Mass starts: Practise swimming close to others in group sessions so the contact at a race start does not throw you. It is contact sport for the first 200 metres whether you like it or not.
Wetsuit swimming: If you plan to race in a wetsuit, train in it regularly. The additional buoyancy changes your body position in the water and it is much better to discover that in a training session than mid-race.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a wetsuit for open water swimming events in Cornwall?
Most Cornish sea swimming events take place between May and September. Water temperatures range from around 12°C in May to 18°C by August. A wetsuit is strongly recommended for anything below 16°C and is compulsory at some events so always check the specific event rules before race day. In May, the answer is almost certainly yes.
How do I prepare for the Padstow to Rock Swim?
You need to be able to swim at least one mile in open water comfortably before entering, and non-elite swimmers must complete the course in under 60 minutes. Training in tidal sea conditions is essential, the Camel Estuary current is not something you want to meet for the first time on race day. Ocean Set's endless pool coaching at Melancoose are both good ways to build the specific fitness and technique you need.
Train for your Cornwall event with Ocean Set
Our 1-2-1 endless pool coaching at Melancoose offers video stroke analysis that can see improvements in a single session that months of unsupervised pool swimming alone do not. Get in touch at info@oceanset.co.uk to book or find out more.
